Trusting You
by DarkRoseBouqet
Summary: End of NM. Edward is back and Bella is happy that he is, but she is still having problems fully trusting him again. What happens between Bella and Charlie? How are Bella and Edward going to work through their problems? What happens next?
1. You don't have to go

Edward was back. Thank God. Now that he was back, I missed him even more every time he had to leave me, even when it was only for hunting. I needed him more than ever. Even if it was only to see his face and reassure myself he wouldn't leave me again.

Flashback

"_Bella! Get in this house RIGHT NOW!" he screamed from the front door._

_Naturally, I was pleading at Edward with my eyes not to leave me, but he just looked at me with only love in his eyes. He whispered in my ear, just before we turned the corner of the house into Charlie's line of sight,_

"_No matter what he says, please don't believe him. I love you."_

_And with that he walked me to the door, turned me around and gave me a quick hug and a chaste kiss on the cheek and walked back towards his car._

"_Bella!" I was quickly brought back to my father's ranting. I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself for what I knew was about to come._

"_It was him wasn't it? He made you do this? He encouraged you to get on that….THING…." I knew he was talking about the shiny red motorcycle sitting in the driveway. And he thought it was, who….Edward? ….. That coaxed me to get on it? To buy it? He didn't know anything. He didn't know what was going through my mind when I loaded the two motorcycles in the back of my truck for the first time. Yes, it may have been a subconscious wanting to hear Edward's voice in my head, but first and foremost it was a wanting to be reckless….to do something no one expected of me….to break promises, to be the bad kid for once instead of the responsible adult I had always acted like. _

"No _Charlie." I said those two words quietly but with enough vindication to make him pause for a second._

"_You're lying," he said just as firmly. I was shocked. No one had ever accused me of lying before, especially not him. _

"_Since when have I ever lied to you?" No need to bring up the many times Edward had stayed in my room, or going to…LA….or….oh well, that's not the point._

"_Since you've been with HIM….since you ran off to Los Angeles to, what, convince him to come back to you? I never though of you as the type of girl to beg a boy to come back to you. What? Don't look at me with that shocked look on your face! You know exactly what I am talking about. He brings out the worst in you Bella. You don't see what I do. I saw you miserable….empty….for all these past months. Then Alice Cullen shows up, and while I am at my BEST FRIEND'S FUNERAL, you disappear, once again, because of HIM!"_

_Every time he said HIM he said it with such hatred that it caused my blood to start boiling. So he really thought he knew what it was like?_

"_Charlie, you have no idea what is going on. All of this is so far beyond you and you're not even trying. Do you not want me to be happy? Can't you see how happy I have been since he has come back? How dare you act like you know what is between Edward and I. You think we are just two lovesick teenagers, or that he is just stringing me along trying to see how far he can push before I crack? You're so wrong its funny! I love him! I love him more than anything in this world. He IS my world. You had better learn to accept that or accept the fact that I will be out of this house permanently. Maybe I do love him more than he loves me and I would gladly give my life for him, but that is none of your concern! You should only be concerned with what makes me happy, but if you can't do that, then I can leave."_

_I was breathing quite heavily after my little rant. I looked down at the floor while trying to calm myself from the emotions that were coursing through me. I looked back into Charlie's face and his was now the one covered in shock. The shock slowly transformed into sadness and despair. _

"_Bella….I…..NO! I don't want you to see him," he said, and then added, almost pleading "He will hurt you again."_

"_Probably, but that won't ever change how I feel about him." And with that I marched up the stairs, into my room, and started to pull my suitcase out from under the bed._

"_Bells…" I turned around and Charlie was standing at my door with his head down, "you don't have to leave."_

"_Yes, I really do Charlie." I turned around and continued packing. I heard him walk down the stairs, outside, and start up the cruiser before driving away._

_I looked up from my suitcase where I was crying and into the eyes of Edward, who looked like he could easily be crying, too. I crawled over to where he was sitting on my bed. We both laid down and held each other for a while. I could feel him dry sobbing against me, but I couldn't bare to look at him right now so I kept my face tucked into his chest where his shirt was covered in my tears._

_The last thing I heard before crying myself to sleep was him sobbing "I'm so sorry Bella. I am so so sorry."_

End Flashback


	2. I believe you

I had moved into the Cullen's house later that night, after that horrible argument with Charlie. That was a week ago. I still haven't talked to my father. I don't know what to say. I was currently sitting in my room at my desk where I was supposedly doing homework. Edward was sitting in the rocking chair I had brought, well _he_ had brought from my house along with the rest of my things. I had made him sit across the room from me so that I might not be _so_ distracted from my homework.

I had decided against sharing a room with Edward. At least for now. Of course, every night when I went to sleep he came up to my room and laid down with me in my new bed. I just wanted to have a little place to myself. I was still adjusting to him being back in Forks and our new living situation. I was used to being by myself most of the time, so having a room that was my own was comforting. Plus, it was just down the hall from Edward's room. Esme had done a beautiful job with decorating this room for me. It was a surprise for me. Evidently, she had been working on it before Edward had left. It was the most beautiful shade of dark blue. It was against the back of the house, so it had a wall of glass just like Edward's room. Along the wall opposite the door, Esme had done a wonderful recreation of Van Gogh's _Starry Night _which she had known was my favorite painting. It was underneath the painting, along the same wall, that there was a rather large bed covered in a soft, cream colored comforter over beautiful crimson bed sheets. The rocking chair was at the end of the bed, next to the window. Along the center wall, opposite the overgrown window, was an enormous bookshelf that covered half the wall. The book shelf was split in the middle with a space in between for a desk which my old computer, much to Edward's dismay, was sitting on. He said the computer was too old for this room and too old for me. Really, he was just trying to find an excuse to buy me something and I knew it. Against the wall with the door, there was an enormous flat screen TV. That was all Edward's doing and the only reason I went along with him on this was because he said it would give us a reason to stay in bed all day and watch movies.

I was thinking about how crazy the past couple of weeks had been. Charlie and I weren't talking. I had moved in with Edward's family. Edward had come back...that was the craziest. I had hoped he would, but never thought he actually would want me back. I still couldn't believe it. In fact, I caught myself being surprised every morning when he woke me up. I was still hesitant around him. Very hesitant. And he noticed. I think he was more hurt by this than angry. But I couldn't help it, I mean, what if I upset him again? Would he leave me again? I know he said he wouldn't, but our newly instated relationship was so very fragile and I was doing any and everything I could not to break it. Still, I try to enjoy what time I did have with him. But I did not move an inch every time he kissed me, even though I desperately wanted to. I knew I couldn't give him any reason to get angry with me if I wanted him to stay.

"That doesn't look like you're doing homework," said Edward with a smirk on his face.

I snapped out of my reverie and realized I had been staring at my bookshelf with my mouth half-open. Slightly embarrassed, I turned in my chair and rolled my eyes at Edward.

"Oh, bite me!" And I turned back around in my seat, laughing with myself in my head about my unintentional pun.

"Excuse me?" He said incredulously. I turned back around in my seat to see him sitting straight up in the rocking chair.

"I was only joking Edward, Im sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!" I didn't think about what I said before I said it, and I should have, and now I've upset him, and he's going to leave me, and Im going to be left alone again. Except this time I have nowhere to stay. I've moved out of my father's house. Where will I go? My heart was racing and tears were about to spew over.

Edward was at my side in an instant. He carried me over to my bed and laid down next to me. "Bella...bella...what's wrong? I was only joking with you, too. Why are you so upset?"

When I realized he wasn't upset like I had thought he was, I was even more embarrassed. I tried to dismiss it, "It's nothing. I guess I've just been getting worked up about little things a lot lately. Stress, I guess."

"No Bella," he put his cool hand on the side of my face and gently moved me to look at him, "that's not all it is. I don't doubt that you've been under tremendous stress lately, but something else is bothering you. Is it Victoria?"

Oh God, I hadn't even thought about her lately. There has been so much on my mind lately! The thought of Victoria added more tears to the pool in my eyes and they started to spill over.

"Bella, please, talk to me," he pleaded.

"I can't...y-you wouldn't li-like what I have t-to say..." I sobbed. I couldn't tell him what had upset me more than the fight with Charlie and more than the thought of Victoria finding me. I didn't want to upset him or see the heartbreak in his eyes.

"Bella, you can tell me anything. I don't care if it's about me or not. I just want to know what has been torturing you all week."

"Oh E-Edward...y-you're not torturing me!" As soon as I said it I realized my mistake. I looked at his face and I could see the hurt in his eyes. He dropped his hand from my face and sat up quickly on the bed. I couldn't let him leave me again. "Edward! Please, please don't leave. I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Please..." and I couldn't finish because I was crying too hard.

Suddenly, as if it was a miracle, he picked me up and cradled me in his arms. "Is that what this is all about? You're worried about everything you do because you think you will make me leave you again?" I could hear the hurt in his voice, but I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I just held onto him and kept crying into his shoulder. I'm positive that if he had been human than I would have been hurting him with how tightly I was clinging to him. "Oh Bella..." and then he did something I definitely did not expect him to do. He lowered his face to mine and kissed me. This was not like any of the other kisses we had ever shared. Not even like the ones he had given me after I had woken up from our trip back from Italy. It was sweet, but determined. Passionate, filled with love, sadness, longing, and most of all, hope. He lowered me back on to the bed without ever breaking the kiss. I carefully put my hands on either side of his face, still aware of the tears streaming down my own, and when he didn't pull back I moved my hands to the back of my neck. It must have been the encouragement he needed because, if it was possible, our kiss became even more passionate. I ended up being the one who pulled back first, and when I did I curled my head underneath his chin and tried to enjoy the feeling of his arms wrapped around me.

After I had calmed down and we were both laying under the covers I looked up at him. His loving eyes were just staring down at me. I couldn't help but feel pathetic for the way I had been acting towards him. "I'm sorry," I said quietly. I knew he heard me, though.

"Bella, you have nothing to be sorry for. As much as you wince when I say this, I know this is my fault. But I _will _make it up to you, I swear. I need you to know though that I am not going to leave you. Even if you wanted me gone, I don't think I would be able to go. I made a huge mistake. I know you said that you forgive me, but I want you to trust me and to love me without worrying about me leaving you again. It's never going to happen, I swear it."

It was my turn to do something unexpected. I knew it was careless, but I put my hands back to their previous position around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. "I believe you, Edward."


	3. Not again

**Author's Note: **I obviously don't own Twilight.

Also, a few questions were asked about Chapter 1:

Edward was crying at the end of Chapter 1 because he felt so bad about messing everything up when he left. Now Bella is moving out of her father's house because of him, and he feels extremely guilty for his role in all this.

EPOV - This is later in the evening of Chapter 2, while Bella is asleep.

I felt horrible for what I had been putting Bella through. Even now, after she had lived with my family for a week, I could still see her hesitancy every time she said something to me. She was more open with Alice and that bothered me because I wanted her to be able to tell me anything. I see now for myself what Alice had told me through her thoughts back in Volterra. Bella really was a wreck. At Volterra I had been just so happy to see her that she could have been dressed in rags and I still would have been ecstatic. But now that I have the chance to be with her again I see what my leaving did to her. How could I do this to someone I loved so much? She had lost weight and she was skinny to begin with, but now she looked even more fragile than she ever did before. Her hair had grown and it was still beautiful, but it had lost its shine. What hurt me most to look at were her eyes. Those beautiful brown eyes that I loved so much. The sparkle that they used to have was not quite as bright anymore. It was as if I had dimmed the light on her outlook on life. Was that it? Yes, I had been the cause of her unhappiness. I had been the cause of her pain. I had been the cause of...

"Edward?"

I looked up to see Alice in the doorway. I looked down at Bella who was in my arms asleep and then carefully moved from my undeserved place beside her. I took one last look at her before leaning against the doorway and looking at Alice who was leaning against the wall in the hallway. She knew better than to ask me to leave the room completely so she stood there and stared at me before beginning to talk.

"You did what you thought was best."

"What?" I asked, startled. I thought I was the only one who could read thoughts.

"Edward, it's written all over your face. You don't let her out of your sight except when she is in the bathroom or you go hunting. She loves you, she really does, that has never changed. But you have to expect her hesitancy. Even if she doesn't realize it, subconsciously she is trying to keep from getting hurt again. You didn't see what I saw when I first came back to Forks when I thought she was dead. Edward...if you leave her again...it _will_ kill her. I mean that in the literal sense. And this time there will be no getting her back."

I was shocked at her forwardness on this subject. She loved Bella almost or just as much as I did though, and it had hurt her too when I had made them leave Bella in Forks. "I won't leave her again...I can't," I said quietly. "It just hurts me to see her trying to protect her feelings against _me_. I want to be the one she doesn't have to be protected from. I want her to know how sorry I am and I want her to trust me like she used to."

"It will take time, Edward, but..." she trailed off for a momet and I saw her eyes go blank, "you need to get back to Bella now."

I turned my face back towards Bella just as she began to scream. I mentally beat myself for not paying closer attention while talking to Alice. Usually when her nightmares get this bad her heart begins to speed up and I can calm her down before they get too bad. I ran back to her side and quickly lay down next to her and wrapped her in my arms. She immediately started to calm down, but only a little bit seeing as she was still screaming. I whispered into her ear while rocking her gently back in forth.

"No! Please, Im sorry...please...EDWARD!" At that I couldn't help but gently shake her awake.

"Bella...bellla, love...bella, it's ok, it's ok. I'm right here..." I tried soothing her but nothing seemed to be working. As a last ditch effort before calling for Carlisle's help I firmly put my lips on her beautiful ones. Her hot tears fell onto our joined lips and her eyes slowly fluttered open. "Bella, what happened? What's wrong?"

"Oh Edward..." she cried. She put her small arms around me and pulled her tiny frame closer to mine. I couldn't help but feel love for her. She was so precious to me, and even more so now than ever. As she calmed down and fell back asleep I was left to only imagine what tricks her mind had played on her tonight and pray that they weren't about me hurting her again.


	4. Seriously

**Author's Note: **Thanks so much for all the reviews I have been getting. It's very encouraging...hence the reason you're getting the first four chapters all in one day. Don't expect this all the time, because I am in college and it's difficult to find this much free time sometimes. Anyway, enjoy because I am!

BPOV

As I slowly came back to the conscious world I realized that my eyes were puffy and I had been crying. Come to think of it, my throat was kind of scratchy too. I yawned loudly and turned over on my bed to see Edward lying there next to me. He was looking at my eyes like he was trying to find something hidden. Oh...he _was_ trying to find something...uh-oh.

"Edward, what's wrong?" though I wasn't sure I wanted the answer to my question.

"Bella. I love you more than anything in this world. All I want is to be with you. I never want to have to leave your side. I need you just as much as you think you need me. All those feeligs that I know you have of not being worthy of me, not deserving me, not being enough for me...I have all of those same feelings towards you, how I am so undeserving of you. I know I have said it a million times to you already, but I am so sorry for what I have put you through, but I swear to you it will never happen again. You have my heart Bella...and my soul."

Confused at that last part, I asked, "What?"

"Last night Bella, you screamed in your sleep and no matter how hard I tried I couldnt seem to wake you up. Finally I kissed you and you calmed down and fell back to sleep."

Ok, so I screamed in my sleep last night, what's new? Oh, this is stil new to him I guess..."Edward, when you left I...well I kind of got used to screaming in my sleep. It doesn't wake me up anymore. It...well, it doesn't wake Charlie up either anymore."

The pain in his eyes made me immediately regret my words. "Oh, Edward I didn't say that to hurt you, I just don't want you to think I have gained a mental disability while you were gone, too." I said trying to make light of the situation. You could cut the pain in the air with a knife.

"Am I the source of your nightmares Bella?" he said without looking directly into my eyes.

"Only when I am losing you. You make up all of my dreams otherwise and they are usually too good to wake up for." I said with a sly grin. I was desperately trying to avoid the question of what my dreams were about. How pathetic could I be? My worst nightmare is him leaving again. I can't tell him that! He would only feel even more guilty and I can't stand to see him hurting. "Now, I have a question for you."

He looked a bit shocked at the sudden change in the conversation. But I was not prepared for another crying episode between the two of us. It had been happening far too often lately and it was wearing me down. Poor Jasper...I bet he's grateful for this topic change as much as I am.

"What did you mean I have your...soul?" I was hesitant to say that word. It was always involved in arguments between whether...or not he...would...change me...wait! Is that what this is about?

"Judging by your heartbeat you seem to have an idea. Bella, after yesterday and last night, I realized something. If I didn't have a soul, then how is it possible that every time I am away from you I feel like part of me is with you? After what you said to me that first night you woke up after Italy, that if I really didn't believe we had souls then I wouldn't have said that Carlisle had been right when I saw you and that I was dead...well I've thought about it a lot, and I believe you are right. You, Carlisle, everybody. But I think we are only able to have souls after we have found something to share it with. You have always shared your soul with me, Bella, and I want you to know, mine is for you as well."

"Oh Edward..." I tried to interrupt him, but he wasn't having that.

"Bella, please, let me finish. I have decided that only time will be able to make you trust me again and make you realize that I will never leave you again, no matter what. And..." he trailed off.

"And?" I questioned. I was curious to see where this was going, and to be honest I had no idea what he could possibly be meaning by all of this.

"And...if you still _want_ to, I want to be with you for the rest of your life...for eternity." He finished his speech quietly.

I was completely shocked to say the least. It wasn't long ago he was furious when Carlisle had agreed to change me. Was he offering to change me? Without me accepting his proposal first?

"I...I...I..." obviously I couldn't even get words out.

"Bella, if you don't want it now, I can...I can understand. I still love you. But I can love you either way. It truly is your decision now. I am sorry for ever not allowing you to make this decision before. I just..."

"Yes." I cut him off.

" I just want you to be happy, and I want the chance to show you I will never..." he continued as if he hadn't heard me. I interuppeted him again and this time I was successful.

"Yes, Edward. Yes to everything. Yes I will marry you. Yes I love you. And yes I want to be with you forever." I reached and put my hands on both sides of his face and kissed him hard.

"You mean it? You're serious?" He seemed utterly stunned by my reaction to his little speech.

"Edward. I want this. I have always wanted this. I want you. Forever"


	5. Reactions

I stared, no not stared, _gawked _at the ring Edward had given me after I told him I would marry him. It was absolutely perfect. A princess cut diamond in the center of two small blank onyx stones, which both had a single topaz stone on the other side of it, set in platinum, of course. I say of course, because, hey, it's Edward, he had to make it expensive. Not five minutes later did Alice come rushing into the room, jumping and landing next to me on the bed. I looked up, shocked and saw Rosalie timidly walking towards me as well. Edward put his arms possessively around me and pulled me closer to him.

"No, not today Alice. She is staying with me today."

Alice looked horrified. "But I want to go _shopping_!" she whined loudly.

"Sorry, but like I said, not today." Thank God for that. I really didn't feel like shopping today, not that I ever did anyway. "Besides, you might as well just post-pone your shopping trip until after she is changed."

"Ughh...fine!" And with that Alice got up and stormed out of the room. Rosalie just giggled and patted me on the shoulder, then after hesitating, leaned down and gave me a quick hug and walked out of the room in the way only Rosalie can.

I looked back up at Edward and saw him gawking at me. "What?" I said, suddenly nervous at the way he was staring at me. Did I have something on my face?

"Nothing, Im just looking at my future wife. There's nothing wrong with that is there?" He ended with that stupid little sideways grin that I loved so much.

"Definitely not," I said, a little too quickly, which was greeted by a laugh from him.

It was now only 3 weeks until Graduation. Everything was working out just fine, for once. I had Edward, I had my new family, I was engaged, and I was going to be changed soon. I had decided to wait until after Graduation to be changed, as we had planned before, just so it would be an easier transition with less questions from my classmates. Edward and I got dressed for school today in our seperate rooms, but I wanted to look especially good for him today. "Alice?"

I turned around and she was already there, clothes in hand. "Here, put these on and I will be right back." She had even brought me underwear! Black lace boy shorts and a black lace bra. Hmm...how about no? "Alice!" From outside the door I heard her say "Bella, just do it. Don't argue with me." Ok fine, so you can't argue with the vampire shop-a-holic. When I put them on, the were actually pretty comfortable. Hey! I had some curves! YES! The jeans were rather tight, but I could still move in them. The top was a 3/4 length button up shirt the exact blue that Edward loved on me so much. There was a tank top to go underneath the shirt that was all black lace. For shoes, Alice had brought me, thank goodness, some adorable black ballet flats. As soon as I put the clothes on, she was back in my room with a suitcase which I soon realized was an enormous make-up bag. Rosalie was behind her with the curling iron, straightener, and mirror. Uh-oh...

"Alice, I didn't want to really go all out, I just wanted to dress kind of nice for him." I whimpered.

"I know Bella, and you are going to look nice, but why not go the extra mile and watch him drool all day? Plus it's your first day at school as an engaged woman. Show it off some and stop whining! I didn't get to take you shopping yesterday!"

So this was payback? Which do I hate worse, dress up or shopping? But Alice was right, it would be worth watching him drool.

20 minutes later I was done. Wow. Rosalie pointed out with a giggle, "See, if you just let her do her thing, it all goes faster!"

Edward's voice came through the door, "Bella, why is your door locked? Are you okay? What's going...oh" At that moment I had decided to open the door. Alice and Rosalie walked out giggling and Edward stood there as if rooted to the floor. I looked up at him, gave him a peck on the cheek and started walking towards the stairs when I felt his hand grab my wrist.

"No, no, no. We're staying home today. You are not allowed out of this house looking...like..." He trailed off. I noticed his eyes start to glaze over. This could be fun I thought to myself.

"Looking like what, Edward?" I slowly walked back over to him and stood right up against him and looked up at him with my big, innocent eyes. "You don't like the way I look?"

"No, I mean...Yes! I mean..."

"That's what I thought, now are you driving or should I ride with Rosalie and Emmett?"

With that, he picked me up and carried me all the way to the car. "Edward!" I protested kicking my legs, "I can walk you know!"

"No you can't and don't take away my excuses for touching you," he replied, still have dazed. With that comment, I shut up quickly, not really wanting him to stop touching me.

As we pulled up to the school he looked back at me as soon as he was in the parking place. I had told him on the way that if he didn't stop staring at me and start watching the road then I was not riding with him again and certainly not dressing like this again. That changed his mind really quick as he put his eyes on the road. Seeing as he probably wasn't going to stop staring any time soon I decided to get out of the car. He was by my side in an instant. "Why didn't you wait for me?" He seemed hurt that I tried to get out of the car without him. I wasn't handicapped! Well, not officially.

"Edward, we had been sitting in the car for 5 minutes. School is going to start soon!"

"Oh..." was all he had to say. He grabbed my left hand and started walking with me towards the school. We ran into Mike and Jessica on the way in and Edward was already growling before we even got close enough to say hello.

"Bella! Hey what's up? Did you hear about...what's that?" Jessica, of course, noticing the ring on my finger before anyone else. Unfortunately this brought Mike's attention to it as well.

Edward took this time to interrupt, "Bella and I are engaged."

Jessica was ecstatic, "That's so exciting! When is it going to be?" Mike, however, looked like he was going to explode. "Bella!" He practically yelled at me. "Are you insane? What are you thinking?"

Edward started to say something, but I cut him off "Im thinking, Mike, that I love Edward and I want to be with him!" With that I pulled a shocked Edward into the school building.  
"


End file.
